


Red Dawn

by sapphicluthors



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventual reveal, F/F, Slow Burn, dw im going to avoid as much redacted ship as possible, epicurus is important, for all of our sanities, lena luthor is hard on herself but she’s a GENIUS wbk, okay really every character on the show basically i got tired of listing them all, rated M for future chapters, red sun AU, s2-4 rewrite, thanks cwsupergirl for a plot hole that actually gave me a good idea, yeah buckle up bc this is going to be a LONG ONE
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-02-29 20:45:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18785881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphicluthors/pseuds/sapphicluthors
Summary: buckle up yall, this is going to be a rewrite of seasons 2-4 (for now, anyway) where Lex successfully turned the sun red and it stayed that way (since cwsupergirl so nicely DIDN’T explain in that flashback from 4x15 how Lex actually turned the sun red nor how it was reverted). throughout this fic, i'm going to have to make a lot of assumptions, like exactly how long Lex’s trial lasted, and almost all of the science behind the red sun (again, thanks cwsupergirl and your damn plot holes), so please bear with my bullshit. also, i have NO idea how often i’m going to update this, but i’ll do my best :)





	1. epicurus once said

**Author's Note:**

> i finished and edited this chapter on the plane on the way home from LA yesterday, running on little sleep so i apologize for any and all mistakes.
> 
> this first chapter is from Lena's POV.
> 
> i want to note that murder trials (and all criminal trials in general) in the US tend to widely vary in length, so i assume two months from arrest to conviction here.
> 
> enjoy :)

_Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little_

–Epicurus

 

\----

 

**Day 1**

**Metropolis**

 

_The room glowed red._

 

_Sirens were wailing in the distance. Lena was zip tied to an office chair, curtesy of Lex. She faces three TVs, all playing different news coverages of various disasters._

_“‘Against other things, it is possible to obtain security, but when it comes to death, we human beings all live in an unwalled city.’ Do you know who said that?”_

_“Please, Lex,” her voice wavers. “You don’t have to do this.”_

_“I’m doing this for us. For the entire human race.” He walks up behind her and leans over her. “Listen down below.”_

_She could hear the screams as he rolled her closer to the window. All she could do was look on in horror._

_“They’re already cheering.” He sounds proud. “And it was Epicurus, by the way. An aphorism 230 years old and yet still as apt as ever.”_

_“You sound like a freshman philosophy major, and you’re going to kill millions of people,” she snaps. “The world can’t live under a red sun!”_

_“Neither can Superman.” Of course. It always comes back to him. “You see, sis, we as a people have become soft. And fat. And stupid.”_

_He’s interrupted by the sudden appearance of a helicopter hovering outside of the building, with a loudspeaker announcing “THIS IS THE METROPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT! SURRENDER!”_

_Lex simply acts mildly agitated, looking at his watch, and pressing a button. The helicopter explodes. Lena jerks back in surprise; she feels like she’s going to vomit._

_“Where was I?” he asks, nonchalant as ever._

_“Oh my god, Lex, you killed them,” she says with disbelief lacing her voice, though she should have come to expect death to follow her brother like the plague._

_Unfazed, he continues, “Oh, that’s right! We must put faith in ourselves, but instead? We look up to him with big, glassy eyes because we think he’s invincible. It’s my duty to dispel the world of that notion and when he dies, they will finally wake up and see him for what he really was,” he declares as he moves to grab the chair behind her. “A false god.”_

_She nearly backs out but musters, “A least he’s a good man.”_

_He grips the chair in anger, shouting, “He is NOT a man!”_

_Lena shakes in fear, temporarily closing her eyes, focusing on her breathing. She opens them again as he steps back and spins her around to face him._

_“I was the man of tomorrow, NOT him, NOT HIM!” There’s a fire in his eyes Lena now recognizes._

_“So, it was all ego, then?” she says, still defiant._

_“No. It’s science,” he says simply. He blinks, then adds with an edge, “I want to see if the Kryptonian pretender can bleed.”_

_She looks at him, eyebrows furrowed, as he begins stepping backwards, continuing, “Even gods can die.”_

_Police suddenly burst through the door, surrounding Lex and pointing their guns at him._

_He continues without a pause, as if this was a part of the plan, “You’ll see. Everyone will see. And then, they’re going to thank me.”_

_He’s then quickly handcuffed and escorted out. Lena is stunned._

_She doesn’t even notice the officer removing the zip ties and asking if she was okay. All she can hear are the screams continuing below and her brother’s voice in her head._

**Day 65**

**Metropolis**

 

Lena replays the conversation in her head again. And again. Looking for something. Anything to hint at how he did it.

 

With a huff of frustration, she gets up from her desk. Scotch would help her think. She knows she's smarter than Lex, but she has to think like him.

 

He left no notes. Nothing within LuthorCorp, anyway. Not that this surprised her in the slightest; Alexander Luthor has never made anything easy in his entire life.

 

Glass full of scotch, she steps out onto her balcony and looks over Metropolis. It was sunset, though entire days now look like what sunsets used to be. Two months later, she still wasn’t used to it, the constant red glow. It was unnerving. A constant reminder that she hasn’t come up with a fix yet.

 

_I can’t believe he actually did it._

 

She sighs, taking a sip of scotch. Lex’s trial ended today. Somewhat unsurprisingly, in typical Lex fashion, he went out with a bang: killing nearly everyone in the courtroom after being sentenced to thirty-one consecutive life sentences.

 

So now, Lex was in jail, serving thirty-two consecutive life sentences. And Lena was working tirelessly to fix the mess he made.

 

She had made little progress thus far, frustratingly so, and she knew she needed a change. Looking out over Metropolis, she made a decision.

 

She was heading for National City.

 

**Day 73**

**National City**

The sound of a new email jolts Lena out of a daze. She quickly opens it.

_Goddamn it._

“Jess?” she calls.

 

_Of course this would happen today. Of all days._

 

“Yes, Miss Luthor?” Jess asks, entering her office.

 

_And I was genuinely excited for this one!_

 

“Cancel my appearance for the _Venture_ today,” she says as she gathers her things and stands, heading to the door. “I have an urgent meeting that came up and I won’t be making it. And please send them my deepest condolences.”

 

_Can’t people just do their damn jobs?_

 

“Of course, Miss Luthor.”

 

 _I need more people like Jess. I should give her a raise_ , she thinks as she rushes to the meeting. This renaming ceremony was going to be the death of her.

 

 _It needs to be done_ , she reminds herself. _I have to distance this company as far away from the Luthor name as I can._

And taking Luthor out of the name was the first step.

 

\--

 

She heard about it when she was actually eating lunch for once, albeit at her desk.

 

A part of the _Venture_ had exploded, but thankfully Superman made himself present (in what Lena figures is somewhat of a suit that emulated a yellow sun, she plans to research this at a later time) and there were no major injuries or deaths. Superman was not alone, apparently; National City’s own newly found Super aided him. The Queen of all Media herself, Cat Grant, dubbed her as Supergirl.

 

Lena couldn’t help but feel like Supers were following her. Perhaps Luthors and Supers were doomed to this fate.

 

Upon hearing the news, she abandons her lunch and calls the head of the subsidiary of LuthorCorp that created the oscillator for the _Venture_ to see if they had any news of what had exploded.

 

They had. It was the oscillator that exploded.

 

_Oh, damn it._

 

**Day 74**

**National City**

 

She was just walking into the lobby of LuthorCorp when Clark Kent of the Daily Planet and a nervous looking blonde woman intercepted her.

 

_So much for an uninterrupted day._

 

“Mind if we walk with you?” Clark asks, already matching pace with her.

 

_I do, actually._

 

“Not at all. Let’s go to my office.”

 

As they enter the elevator, Lena asks, though she already knows the answer, “So, what’s the star reporter from Metropolis doing here in National City?”

 

“The _Venture_ explosion yesterday,” he responds, all business.  

 

_There it is._

“Of course. I figured you weren’t going to ask me about my new haircut.”

 

With a ding, the elevator doors open and Lena strides out of it, the other two on her heels.

 

The blonde woman clearly stifles a laugh while Clark ignores the quip, “It conveniently exploded without you on it.”

 

“There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I wasn’t aboard the _Venture_ yesterday,” Lena states as they turn to enter her office.

 

“Well, that’s why we’re here.”

 

_Yeah, no shit._

 

“There was an emergency regarding the planning for a ceremony I’m holding tomorrow,” she continues as she places her coat and purse on the coat rack. “I’m renaming my family’s company and I had to cancel.”

 

Clark huffs, “Ah, lucky.”

 

Lena laughs, turning back to face them. “Lucky is Superman saving the day.”

 

Clark dryly chuckles in return, “Not something one expects a Luthor to say.”

 

“And Supergirl was there, too!” The blonde adds, speaking for the first time.

 

Lena studies her for a moment, before walking past her to pour a glass of water. “And who are you, exactly?”

 

The blonde stutters, “Um, um, I’m Kara Danvers, I’m not with the Daily Planet, I’m with CatCo magazine. Sort of.”

 

Lena makes note of that, then faces them again, turning to walk to her desk. “That’s a publication not known for its hard-hitting journalism. It’s more like ‘high-waisted jeans, yes or no?’”

 

As she sits down, the blonde stutters again, “Uh, I’m just tagging along today-”

 

“Right,” Lena interrupts, growing impatient, “Can we just speed this interview along? Just ask me what you want to ask me, Mr. Kent. Did I have anything to do with the _Venture_ explosion?”

 

“Did you?”

 

_At least he’s straightforward._

 

She gives him a look, “You wouldn’t be asking me if my last name was Smith.”

 

“Ah, but it’s not. It’s Luthor.”

 

“Some steel under that Kansas wheat,” she smirks, impressed. “It wasn’t always.” She then looks at the blonde as she continues, “I was adopted when I was four. The person who made me feel most welcome in the family was Lex…” she trails off, missing how things used to be. “He made me proud to be a Luthor.” She turns to look out at the city as she continues, “And then he went on his reign of terror in Metropolis, declared war on Superman, committed unspeakable crimes. Turned the damn sun red…” She trails off again.

 

Turning back to face them she grabs the small remote on her desk, “When Superman put Lex in jail, I vowed to take back my family’s company,” she presses a button on the remote, the company’s new logo appearing on the screen to her right, “to rename it L-Corp, make it a force for good.” She watches the two exchange a glance.

 

_They’re doubtful. Naturally._

 

She presses on, “I’m just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family. Can you understand that?”

 

“Yeah.” It’s the blonde who says this, looking thoughtful.

 

_Finally. Someone who might actually get it._

 

“I know why you’re here,” Lena stands up, walking to the shelf on her left. “Because a subsidiary of my company made the part that exploded on the _Venture_.”

 

She picks up a flash drive, “This drive contains all the information we have on the oscillator,” she continues as she hands it to Clark. “I hope it helps you in your investigation.”

 

They exchange another look, but Clark seems somewhat appreciative, “Thank you.”

 

“Give me a chance, Mr. Kent. I’m here for a fresh start, let me have one.” _Because I damn well deserve one._

 

He gives her a tight smile in return. “Good day, Ms. Luthor,” he says politely as he turns to leave.

 

The blonde—Kara—echoes him, “Good day,” as she leaves as well.

 

Lena watches them go, curious as to what their relationship is, before returning to work. They didn’t need to know she was spending nearly every waking moment on trying to turn the sun yellow again.

 

A few moments later, she headed down to her lab. She had work to do.


	2. the more you know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kara's POV of the first 74 days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes i finally updated this!! i'm so so sorry it's taken about half a millennium, but i got really busy and then unfortunately lost motivation for this. but, we're back! hopefully the next update won't take quite as long as this one did.
> 
> enjoy :~)

_Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed_

–Epicurus

 

\----

 

**Day 1**

**National City**

 

Kara knew about the ongoing battle between her cousin and Lex Luthor. She just had no idea exactly how bad it was.

 

Since becoming Supergirl and having her own city to protect, she stayed out of their feud, except the few times Clark asked for her advice. It was Clark’s fight, not hers.

 

Today was the day that everything changed.

 

She felt the effects immediately, even before she noticed the insistent red. And she immediately called Clark.

 

“I can’t believe he actually fucking did it,” he spat out. It was alarming to hear her normally cool, calm, and collected cousin cursing so angrily. It gives her pause for a moment before she dares to ask what she wants to.

 

“What exactly did he do?”

 

“He turned the sun red, and I have no idea how. We’re completely powerless now, as I’m sure you felt. I’ve alerted the MPD that the last confirmed location I had for him was at LuthorCorp.”

 

“Why would he do that, though? I don’t understand. This world can’t live under a red sun, can it?” _Could it?_

 

“I don’t know. This needs to be fixed as soon as possible, but we can’t be powerless in the meantime,” he pauses. “Ask J’onn for help.”

 

Now she was startled. Clark hadn’t associated himself with the DEO in a long time, and he never told her why. To hear him essentially ask the DEO for help sounded almost—

 

“Desperate times, desperate measures, cuz,” he says, and she’s almost certain he’s cracking a smile. _Of course_ he knows what she’s thinking.

 

“Understood. I’ll head that way now,” she responds. “Please be safe. Especially now.”

 

“I will. You, too.”

 

(She admittedly tries to fly out of one of her windows before calling and asking Alex for a ride.)

 

\--

 

Clark calls again later to tell her MPD had Lex in their custody. He hadn’t even put up a fight.

 

He also informs her that Lex had held his younger sister, Lena, hostage in his office with him. She had fully cooperated with the police, and she also had no idea how he turned the sun red. Kara vaguely recalls prior knowledge about Lex having a sister but can’t quite picture her in her mind.

 

“Do you believe her?” Kara asks.

 

“I’m not sure,” Clark starts. “She did supposedly seem genuinely shaken and was evaluated at the hospital. She may not know how he did it, but I still don’t trust her.”

 

Kara understands why. She herself decides to withhold making a judgement because, hell, she has never even met the woman. Who was she to judge?

 

**Day 65**

**National City**

 

Kara learns that the world is incredibly ironic. And that word travels fast.

 

Sometimes, Kara thinks it can travel even faster than she can. _Could_ , she corrects herself. The DEO was working on a solution, but in the meantime, Kara was stuck with her day job of trying not to rip her own hair out every time Cat Grant intentionally mispronounces her name.

 

It’s nearly 11pm and she’s tucked into her couch, a pint of ice cream in hand and exhausted. Lex Luthor’s trial had ended earlier today, and _naturally_ in classic Luthor style, he had to do it his way. Even worse, the end of the trial was broadcasted live. She and likely much of the nation had watched on in horror as Lex continued to add to his seemingly never-ending body count. Kara involuntarily shudders at the thought.

 

She’s just shoving another large spoonful of ice cream into her mouth when her TV (which _yes_ has the local news on, Kara likes to stay informed, thank you very much) shows a news alert.

 

She nearly drops her ice cream at what she sees. Lena Luthor, LuthorCorp’s CEO as of two months ago, announces that she is relocating the company’s headquarters to National City’s branch.

 

Lena Luthor was moving to National City.

 

Kara briefly wonders if Supers and Luthors are just doomed to be in each other’s lives.

 

**Day 73**

**National City**

 

When Kara and James had sat down with pizza and potstickers to watch the _Venture_ launch, Kara sure as hell was not expecting to get her first chance to use the brand new sunsuit the DEO had finally finished making for her _this morning_.

 

She quickly zips across the world, easily locating the craft and immediately trying to slow down its alarming speed by pushing back on the nose of the craft.

 

She gets her second surprise of the day when Clark suddenly shows up next to her.

 

“Need a hand?” he asks her with a smile.

 

“Hey, cuz! You got your suit!” she replies, happy to see him and happy that he was donned in his sunsuit like she was.

 

“I did,” he responds. “It’s good to see you.”

 

“This looks like a job for the both of us,” Kara says, excited at the prospect of working together,

 

“Absolutely,” Clark replies before zipping away to extinguish the engine that was on fire.

 

They work in tandem as Clark pushes down on the tail of the craft and Kara pushes the nose up, leveling the craft as best they can for the safest possible landing. As soon as Kara feels her feet touch the ground, she pushes into the craft as hard as she can until it comes to a complete stop.

 

She then flies over and lands on a nearby road, Clark joining her simultaneously.

 

“That was awesome!” she exclaims before realizing what she had said. “I mean, it was terrible, but it was awesome! We’ve never saved anything together.”

 

“I know,” Clark nods with a smile on his face.

 

“I’ve dreamt of this moment,” Kara continues with a smile just as big as Clark’s. “The two of us teaming up.”

 

“Me, too,” Clark chuckles.

 

Kara then notices a few kids on their bikes pulling up to them.

 

“I usually say hi,” she says, relieved when Clark says he does, too.

 

In that moment, Kara feels the best she has in years. She even temporarily forgets the red haze that clings to every corner of the world.

 

**Day 74**

**National City**

 

After getting the call from Alex about Lena Luthor mysteriously cancelling her appearance on the _Venture_ , Kara and Clark quickly make their way to LuthorCorp’s National City branch. They’re waiting in the building’s lobby when the woman in question comes striding through the front doors.

 

_Holy shit._

 

Kara had seen plenty of pictures of her on the news during Lex’s trial, as well as clips from some of the hearings. None of them did Lena justice.

 

Kara barely has a second to gawk before Clark stands up and strides over to the brunette, Kara just behind him.

 

“Mind if we walk with you?” Clark asks, matching pace with the younger Luthor. Kara decides to lag behind and let Clark take the lead, since she wasn’t even a reporter. Kara thinks she can sense some animosity from the brunette at his question.

 

“Not at all,” Lena responds, voice neutral. “Let’s go to my office.”

 

As they enter the elevator, though Kara figures she must already know the answer, Lena asks, “So, what’s a reporter from the Metropolis doing here in National City?”

 

“The _Venture_ explosion yesterday,” Clark responds. 

“Of course,” Lena chuckles lightly. “I figured you weren’t going to ask me about my new haircut.”

 

Oh, she’s _funny._

This wasn’t something Kara was anticipating. She has to quickly stifle a laugh as the elevator doors open and Lena strides out of it.

 

Clark just gives Kara a look before addressing the brunette in front of them again, “It conveniently exploded without you on it.”

 

Kara can’t help but feel somewhat bad for Lena. She knows why Clark is doing this, but still.

 

“There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I wasn’t aboard the _Venture_ yesterday,” Lena states as they turn to enter her office.

 

“Well, that’s why we’re here.”

 

“There was an emergency regarding the planning for a ceremony I’m holding tomorrow,” Lena responds as she places her coat and purse on the coatrack on the far side of the room. Kara takes the opportunity to glance around the office as Lena continues, “I’m renaming my family’s company and I had to cancel.”

 

Kara hears Clark huff, “Ah, lucky.”

 

The brunette laughs, turning back to face them. “Lucky is Superman saving the day.”

 

Kara quickly looks at Clark as he dryly chuckles in return, “Not something one expects a Luthor to say.”

 

“And Supergirl was there, too!” Kara quickly adds, attempting to diffuse the sudden tension.

 

Kara watches as Lena looks her up and down, assessing her, before walking past her to pour a glass of water. “And who are you, exactly?”

 

Kara doesn’t expect a direct question and stutters, “Um, um, I’m Kara Danvers, I’m not with the Daily Planet, I’m with CatCo magazine. Sort of.”

 

Lena faces them again, turning to walk to her desk. “That’s a publication not known for its hard-hitting journalism. It’s more like ‘high-waisted jeans, yes or no?’”

 

_She’s not wrong, but still. Ouch._

 

Unsure how to respond, Kara stutters again, “Uh, I’m just tagging along today—”

 

“Right,” Lena interrupts her, clearly growing impatient. Kara unconsciously shrinks in on herself a bit.

 

“Can we just speed this interview along?” Lena continues. “Just ask me what you want to ask me, Mr. Kent. Did I have anything to do with the _Venture_ explosion?”

 

“Did you?”

 

Kara watches Lena give him a look, “You wouldn’t be asking me if my last name was Smith.”

 

_Well, she’s not wrong._

 

“Ah, but it’s not,” Clark responds. “It’s Luthor.”

 

Kara looks back at Clark, worried about where this was going.

 

“Some steel under that Kansas wheat,” Lena smirks, and Kara is unsure whether the brunette is impressed or pissed off.

 

“It wasn’t always,” Lena looks directly at Kara as she continues. “I was adopted when I was four.”

 

_Adopted?_

 

“The person who made me feel most welcome in the family was Lex…” Lena trails off, and Kara can’t quite decipher the look on her face. “He made me proud to be a Luthor.”

 

Lena turns to look out at the city and Kara quickly scans the room as she continues, “And then he went on his reign of terror in Metropolis, declared war on Superman, committed unspeakable crimes. Turned the damn sun red…” Lena trails off again.

 

Facing them again, the brunette picks up a small remote on her desk, “When Superman put Lex in jail, I vowed to take back my family’s company,” she presses a button on the remote, a different logo appearing on the screen to Kara’s left, “to rename it L-Corp, make it a force for good.”

 

Kara and Clark exchange a look, and Kara knows what he’s thinking.

 

Lena continues, “I’m just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family. Can you understand that?”

 

“Yeah,” Kara responds, despite the look Clark gives her. What Lena said resonates with her, a lot.

 

“I know why you’re here,” Lena stands up, walking to the shelf on the right. “Because a subsidiary of my company made the part that exploded on the _Venture_.”

 

_Word really does travel fast._

 

The brunette picks up a flash drive, “This drive contains all the information we have on the oscillator,” she continues as she hands it to Clark. “I hope it helps you in your investigation.”

 

Kara can tell Clark wasn’t expecting this, but he does respond with a, “Thank you.”

 

“Give me a chance, Mr. Kent,” Lena adds. “I’m here for a fresh start, let me have one.”

 

Kara can definitely understand that.

 

Clark gives the brunette a tight smile in return. “Good day, Ms. Luthor,” he says politely as he turns to leave.

 

Kara echoes him with a, “Good day,” before quickly turning to follow him out of the office.

 

She won’t admit it out loud, but Lena Luthor intrigues her. And she definitely wants to see her again. Maybe even get to know her better.

 

Kara quietly sighs. _You’re in trouble._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come yell at me at @hyesjisoo on twitter or rightfulqueenofcamelot.tumblr.com on tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me at @hyesjisoo on twitter or rightfulqueenofcamelot.tumblr.com on tumblr


End file.
